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Montes Claros

(Encyclopedia)Montes Claros môNˈtəsh kläˈro͝osh [key], city (1996 pop. 271,324), Minas Gerais state, E central Brazil. Cattle breeding is the chief economic activity, and agriculture is important. Montes Clar...

Armageddon

(Encyclopedia)Armageddon ärˌməgedˈən [key], in the New Testament, great battlefield where, at the end of the world, the powers of evil will fight the powers of good. If the usual etymology is correct, the name...

Tucker, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Tucker, Abraham, 1705–74, English philosopher, b. London. He studied law at Merton College, Oxford, and later devoted himself to independent study. He advanced the ethical view that each man seeks h...

Theus, Jeremiah

(Encyclopedia)Theus, Jeremiah tho͞os, tois [key], c.1719–1744, American portrait painter, b. Switzerland. He emigrated to South Carolina as a child. By 1740, according to newspaper notices, he was painting portr...

Worcester, town, South Africa

(Encyclopedia)Worcester, town, now part and seat of the Breede Valley local municipality, Western Cape prov., SW South Africa. It produces wine and liquor and processes the fruits and vegetables of the surrounding ...

die-casting

(Encyclopedia)die-casting, process by which molten metal is forced by a plunger or compressed air into a metallic die and the pressure maintained until the metal has solidified. Die castings are accurate, are sharp...

Decamps, Alexandre Gabriel

(Encyclopedia)Decamps, Alexandre Gabriel älĕksäNˈdrə gäbrēĕlˈ dəkäNˈ [key], 1803–60, French genre and historical painter, engraver, and lithographer. First known for his caricatures and illustrations,...

Cimarosa, Domenico

(Encyclopedia)Cimarosa, Domenico dōmĕˈnēkō chēmärôˈzä [key], 1749–1801, Italian operatic composer. He wrote almost 80 operas, which were successfully produced in Rome, Naples, Vienna, and St. Petersburg...

charm

(Encyclopedia)charm, magical formula or incantation, spoken or sung, for the purpose of securing blessing, good fortune, or immunity from evil. It presupposes a belief in demons or malignant spirits. The formula wa...

Gérôme, Jean Léon

(Encyclopedia)Gérôme, Jean Léon zhäN lāôNˈ zhārōmˈ [key], 1824–1904, French historical and genre painter. He enjoyed a successful career in his day. He studied with Delaroche and adhered to academic tec...